Stepping outside

For the first time since entering the monastery I entered my morning meditation totally void of motivation. My art project is less then inspiring. What I had created in my mind falls flat once I began to maneuver the paints. I should be use to this. There is nothing inspiring in underpainting, but now I do not even have my oil paints, which I love to maneuver, with me. Oils can be messy and acrylics seemed a much more practical medium for using in a small cell, but with the acrylic paints there is no familiar smell and the paint does not flow and blend as it does with my oils. Perhaps I should try a different approach to this project. Better yet perhaps I should just leave this cell for a while. After all, I have not been out of this room for 5 days.
Slipping on blue jeans and a sweat shirt I headed into the hall in search for energy and motivation. The hall was dark and dimly lit from alcoves in the walls. Each alcove held a religious art work. Thomas Moore wrote of how art carried energy of its own which we could absorb. I stopped at each one as I moved down the hall, trying to catch the essence of what the artist was sending, but the symbols did not change the mood I was in. Perhaps another time.
I headed for a door at the end of the hall. Hopefully that would head outdoors, as right now I craved the sun. As I walked along I heard a screach, much like a bird, within the building. I stopped, startled and a bit apprehensive. It seemed to come from the room ahead where the door stood ajar. I moved slowly ahead and once I could see into the room I found myself staring straight into the piercing eyes of a parrot perched high in the window. He spread his magnificent wings and started screeching loudly as I hurriedly moved on. He was definitely protecting his owners cell. Once outside I had to laugh. This was the last thing I had expected to see in a monastery.
Once outdoors my mood quickly lifted and I pleasurably strolled and absorbed the suns energy. It is very understandable why our ancient ancestors worshiper the sun. One of my missions here at the monastery was to collect methods and sources of absorbing spiritual and creative energy. I have slowly been collecting a routine of worship here and the outdoors must fit in the schedule. How many ways are there to collect spiritual and creative energy? The days here will hopefully reveal that to me. But now I see an herb garden ahead and a door nearby leading back into the rear of the monastery. There is a rustic wooden sign above the door and it says KITCHEN. I am hungry!